Page 49 of The Wake-Up Call

And she will want to get one up on me again, because that’s how we operate.

Maybe that’s the answer. Maybe, as painful as this thought is... Maybe I need to let Izzy win something.

•••••

She comes out of the bathroom in a tantalisingly small towel, her feet bare, her hair wet. The stripes are gone. It never occurred to me that she must take them out when she washes it, but she didn’t wear them at the pool, either. I had never seen anyone with stripy hair before I met Izzy. It should look tacky, but it doesn’t. Izzy has that effect on things.

True to her word, she doesn’t speak to me. She just grabs her handbag and then heads back into the bathroom, closing the door with an emphaticclick. When she re-emerges, she has dressed, dried her hair, and pinned the stripes back in. Meanwhile I have finishedLove Actuallyand am feeling highly sentimental.

“Listen,” I begin, and she holds up a hand.

“That sounds like the start of a sentence about the incident weagreed not to speak about.” She walks around to sit on the footstool, picking fluff off her jeans.

“I just wanted to say that—”

“Lucas.”

“I don’t want you to think that—”

“Have I not made myself clear?”

“It’s not that I—”

“Oh my God, are you incapable of listening to me, or—”

“It’s not that I don’t find you beautiful.”

I almost bellow it in the effort to be heard, but as soon as I’ve said it, she goes quiet. She looks at me at last. I shift up against the pillows, folding my arms over my chest.

“You are very beautiful,” I say, more quietly. “And the kiss was...”

“Lucas...” Her warning is weaker this time.

“It was a beautiful kiss, too. But...”

“Yeah. It was stupid. People who don’t like each other shouldn’t kiss, that’s... weird and messed up,” she says, looking out of the window beside her. “I reminded myself of that on my nice scenic walk just now.”

I choose my words carefully. “My type isn’t women in tiny gymwear who watch complicated films. Right now it is a small, irritating Brit with wicked green eyes who is occupying all of my thoughts, even though my brain knows she shouldn’t be. Do you understand?”

Her eyes widen.

“But we’re not going to kiss.”

“You’re being very commanding. You know that annoys me.”

She doesn’t preciselylookannoyed.

“Kissing is off the table,” I say.

She lifts an eyebrow.

“Too dangerous,” I say.

I sit forward, watching how her body responds to my movements—she leans closer a fraction after I do, like I’ve pulled her in. Like we’re still dancing.

“You’re right, it would be stupid,” I continue, letting my voice drop lower. “But—whatever you say—I do know how to have fun. Which is why I would like to propose another game of poker.”

•••••

---